(Reuters) -Hindustan Unilever on Thursday appointed Priya Nair, president of parent Unilever’s beauty and wellbeing division, as its managing director and CEO, making her one of the few women to lead a major Indian company.
Women hold less than 20% of C-suite positions in India, a sharp drop from entry-level representation, according to a McKinsey report published earlier this year, which cited low recruitment, high attrition, and limited advancement opportunities as key barriers.
Here is a list of female CEOs and managing directors at big, listed Indian companies:
Company Name Title Start of
tenure
Hindustan Priya Nair CEO and August
Unilever managing 2025
director
Colgate-Pa Prabha CEO and September
lmolive Narasimhan managing 2022
India director
HDFC Life Vibha CEO and September
Insurance Padalkar managing 2018
director
Nykaa Falguni CEO and April 2012
Nayar founder
Welspun Dipali CEO and April 2023
Living Goenka managing
director
Jindal Saw Sminu Managing February
Jindal director 2001
Apollo Suneeta Managing July 2014
Hospitals Reddy director
Apollo Sangita Joint July 2014
Hospitals Reddy managing
director
Brigade Pavitra Managing October
Enterprise Shankar director 2022
s
Sundram Arathi Managing April 2018
Fasteners Krishna director
Sundram Arundathi Joint April 2018
Fasteners Krishna managing
director
Note: This non-exhaustive compilation includes only publicly listed companies in India and excludes subsidiaries of global firms operating in the country.
(Compiled by Praveen Paramasivam in Chennai; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee)
